Vaporizer.



PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

J. H. VALENTINE. VAPORIZER.

{APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1898 2 S HEETSSHEET 1 H0 MODEL- INVENTORI 1 v Byjn's Attorheys.

UNITED STATES Patented May 26, 1903.:

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. VALENTINE, OF OIIATHAM, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO VAROMA MEDICAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

VAPORIZER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,019, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed November 25,1898- Serial No. 697,485. No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. VALENTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chatham, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vaporizers and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Vaporizers and like devices for use for vaporizing, evaporating, volatilizing, or burning medicinal, fumigating, disinfecting, or other substances, apparatus of this character being especially useful for vaporizing chemical or medicinal sub stances in sick-rooms and generally comprising a standard or frame, a base, a lamp or heater connected to the base, a vaporizing vessel carried by the frame above the lamp and adapted to hold the substance to be heated, and a flue for directing the heat from the heater toward the vessel, various constructions of this general character having been manufactured for this purpose.

WVith Vaporizers as heretofore constructed it has been difficult to avoid overheating the last of the substance in the basin without using a deflector between the basin and heater, and when using the deflector it has been difficult to always be sure of sufficient heat in the basin. Insufficient heat gives imperfect or inadequate effects, and overheating destroys the medicinal properties of the substance or its odor or quality, sometimes actually burning it. Slowness in starting vaporization has also been objectionable.

My invention aims to provide improvements whereby vaporization can be initiated more quickly and effected more uniformly and satisfactorily, a better temperature throughout the substance being vaporized can be maintained, the construction of the Vaporizer can be simplified and improved, and the deflector can be dispensed with, if desired.

To this end in carrying out my invention I provide an annular vaporizing vessel having a central heating chamber or portion surrounded by the substance to be vaporized, so that the heat radiates outwardly through this substance, and the main body of the sub stance is not directly over the heater, and I provide this basin with a central chamber in its under side for receiving the heat from the frame 0 is fastened, as by the rivet a.

heater, and I preferably provide a fiue for di recting heat from the heater into this chamber, outlets for the heat above the chamber, and means for controlling or regulating the escape of heat therefrom, and I provide an annular intercepter having a flange beneath the annular liquid-chamber for intercepting direct flow of heat from the heater thereto, and I prefer to rigidly connect the basin and frame together, and I provide certain other features of improvement, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the preferred form of my vaporizer. Fig. 2 is a similar View, certain parts being in axial section and the heater removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the cap partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modification. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another modification, and Fig. 6 is a like view showing another modification.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, I will first describe in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention as therein shown, in which A is the base of a vaporizer; B, the heater thereof; 0, the frame; D, the basin; E, the liquid, and F the interceptor, and M the flue. These parts may be of any usual orsu'itable construction and arrangement-in'their general features. The base A is the usual ring, to'one side of which the The heater shown consists of a lamp having an oil vessel b, setting into the base, a burner c, and chimney d, opening beneath the flue M, so that the heat from the lamp will rise through the latter to the basin. The basin is of metal or other material suitable for holding the liquid or substance to be vaporized The heat from the lamp vaporizes the liquid,

and the vapors float away in the air for meand is carried by the frame above the flue.

According to one feature of improvement I form the basin with an annular liquidchamber 6, surrounding the source of heat, so that the main body of liquid will not be directly over the heat, whereby the heat will be conducted radially outwardly through the liquid for more uniformly evaporating it and preventing burning of the last remaining portion of the liquid. According to another feature of improvement I construct the basin with a central shallow portion or elevated heating-surface G over the source of heat or in line with the direction of delivery of heat to the basin, over which surface the liquid will flow when the basin is filled to the proper point, whereby a thin body of liquid may be exposed to great heat at first and will suffice for the initial vaporization while the main body is being raised to the proper temperature, this depth of liquid being preferablyjust enough to provide vaporization until vaporization of the" main body begins. This insures an immediate and sufficient volume of vapors upon lighting the lamp.

According to another feature of improvement I provide the basin with a concave or tubular under side, constitutinga heat-chamber H, rising within and preferably through the liquid for applying the heat thereto,which chamber holds the heated air and transmits the heat through its wallsfto the surrounding liquid. I preferably also provide the basin with a top wall g for this chamber and witllll one or more heat-outlets 71. through this wa I prefer to support the basin rigidly from the frame 0 at a point within the chamber H, as by constructing the frame with a portion or projection I, carrying the basin, as by being rigidly connected to the top wall thereof by the rivet 1 I f I preferably provide adjustable means for controlling the escape of heat through the chamber H-as, for example, the cap J,which is movable and removably mounted over the chamber and has an outlet-orifice j, through which heat may escape. The cap is shown as having a lip K fitting frictionally over a cylindrical wall on the basin, so that by adjusting the cap up or down the freedom for escape of heat up through the apertures h, through the cap, and out of the aperturejis regulated.

I prefer to partly inclose the under side of the heat-chamber, as by an annular ringshaped cup or flange L, which is shown as having an aperture Z, through which the projection I rises, which aperture surrounds the open upper end of the flue F and permits heat therefrom to rise into the chamber, but checks side drafts of air or back drafts of heat from the chamber. The flange L is shown as riveted to the basin; but it may be fastened in any way, so that one of such parts suitably holds the other.

The flue of the intercepter F is the ordinary flue, having an outswaged neck M passing through an eye mof the frame. The intercepter flares outwardly underneath the liquid-chamber e and between it and the heater andprevents any direct flow of heat from the heater to the under side of the liquidchamber.

The lamp is preferably constructed with a transparent chimney d, so that the users can tell the height of the flame by looking through the chimney, which chimney has a lip N and a body at of greater diameter than the lip, my invention providing an opaque shade O for keeping the light from striking the eyes of a patient, which shade is supported by the chimney having the rests 0 of sufficient diameter to fall over the lip N and rest on the body 12. for holding the shade in place.

In use the liquid will be poured into the basin in the quantity desired. If immediate vaporization is wished for, the level of the liquid will be brought slightly above the primary vaporizing-surface G. The lamp will be lighted and adjusted to give the desired height. The heat striking through the surface G will at once start vaporization there, and that in the confined chamber H will radiate into the main body of the liquid, gently elevating its temperature and starting vaporization by the time the level of the liquid has been reduced by vaporization, so that the liquid no longer covers the surfaces G. Vaporization will continue under the radiated heat until the last of the liquid is evaporated, and there will be no overheating or burning by reason of the liquid being directly in the path of flow of. heat from the heaterto the basin. Adjustment will be eifected by the lamp in the usual way or by manipulating the cap J. v

It will be seenthat my invention provides improvements which can be readily and advantageously availed of, and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts shown as constituting its preferred form, but that it can be employed in whole or in part, according to such modifications as circumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dietate.

In Fig. 4 the basin D has the surface G and chamber H and reservoir 6, the cap and the escape of heat from the chamber being dispensed with. In other respects this construction is similar to that described before except that the flange L is omitted.

Fig. 5 shows the basin D having the reservoir e, but no initial vaporizing-surface. In this construction the chamber H is open at top and closed at bottom, a cap J being used to control the area of and the outlet from the chamber and the flange L being riveted under the neck of the flue M of the intercepter F for holding the basin from the frame 0.

Fig. 6 shows a construction in which the flange L" is extended to form a complete cup, being riveted under the neck of the flue M of the intercepter F and supported thereby from the frame 0 and having an upturned edge P,

.the flange being omitted and regulation of within which the basin D fits. The basin here has an annular primary vaporizing portion G, while the chamber H has outlets h in its top wall inwardly of the portion G.

What I claim is- 1. In Vaporizers, the combination with means of heating, and a frame, of a basin carried by said frame, having a central protuberanceandanannularliquid-chambersurrounding said protuberance on its top side, and a central cavity opening at its bottom side beneath said protuberance, and surrounded by said liquid-chamber, and an annular intercepter between said basin and said means of heating, having an annular flange beneath the bottom of said annular liquid chamber for preventing direct flow of heat from said means of heating to such bottom, and havinga central flue directing heat from such means of heating into said central cavity of said basin, said basin having an opening in the upper part of such protuberance for outflow of heat from said cavity.

2. In Vaporizers, the combination with means of heating, and a frame, of abasin carried by said frame, having a central protuber ance and an annularliquid-chambersurrounding said protuberance on its top side, and a central cavity opening at its bottom side beneath said protuberance, and surrounded by said liquid-chamber, and an annular intercepter between said basin and said means of heating, having an annular flange beneath the bottom of said annular liquidchamber for preventing direct flow of heat from said means of heating to such bottom, and having a central flue directing heat from such means of heating into said central cavity of said basin, and an annular flange L surrounding said cavity, in intimate contact with the bottom of said annular liquid-chamber, and having a central aperture in line with said fine.

3. The combination with means of heating, of a frame, and a vaporizing-basin carried by said frame, having a perforated central protuberance, and an annular liquid-chamber surrounding said protuberance on its top side, and having a central cavity opening at its bottom side and located within said protuberance, said frame having a portion rising within said cavity and rigidly connected to said basin at the under side of said protuberance.

4. In Vaporizers and the like, the combination with means of heating, and a frame, of a vaporizing vessel carried by said frame, consisting of a basin having a central protuberance and an annular liquid-chamber surrounding said protuberance on its top side, and having a central cavity opening'at its bottom side and located within said protuberance, said basin having a wall it on said protuberance, and an aperture through said protuberance, and a cap J fitting adj ustably on said wall and having an aperture above said protuberance.

5. In a vaporizer, the combination with means of heating, and a frame, of a vaporizing vessel carried by said frame and consisting of a single integral piece of sheet metal, having a perforated central protuberance, an outer edge of greater height than such protuberance, and an intermediate annular liquidchamber between said protuberance and edge, on its top side, and having a central cavity opening at its bottom side and located beneath said protuberance, an interceptor, having an annular flange between the means of heating and the bottom of said liquid-chamber for preventing direct flow of heat from said means against such bottom, and having a central flue for directing heat into said central cavity, and means surrounding the bottom side of said central cavity for checking flow of heat from beneath said cavity.

6. In Vaporizers and the like, the standard 0, having arms m and I, in combination with the basin D havinga perforated protuberance J carried by the arm I, and a deflector below the basin D carried by the arm m, said standard adapted to support said parts above a source of heat.

'7. For vaporizing vessels, the combination with the basin D having a heat-chamber H having an outletin its upper wall, of the flange L below said basin inclosing the lower side of said chamber, and a deflect-or below said flange, said deflector and flange having free air-space between them, and means for supporting said basin above a source of heat.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES H. VALENTINE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, THOMAS F. WALLACE. 

